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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2202 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 655
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Rebecca L. Rausch
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act advancing water access equity through utility reporting requirements.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2202 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 655
By Ms. Rausch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 655) of Rebecca L. Rausch for
legislation to advance water access equity through utility reporting requirements. Environment
and Natural Resources.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2177 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act advancing water access equity through utility reporting requirements.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 22 of chapter 25 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subparagraph (e) the following
3subparagraphs:-
4 (f) Public and private water utilities shall file quarterly reports with the executive office
5of energy and environmental affairs regarding customer service data. The reports shall be public
6record and shall include, but shall not be limited to the following information, disaggregated by
7zip codes:
8 (1) The number of customers receiving service from a water utility provider;
9 (2) The number customer disconnection notices sent due to bill nonpayment; 2 of 3
10 (3) The number and dates of water shut offs that took place and average time between
11service disconnection due to non-payment and service reconnection;
12 (4) The number of customer accounts that became eligible for disconnection due to bill
13nonpayment but were not disconnected because of any legally mandated or voluntary suspension
14of disconnections due to the coronavirus 2019 pandemic;
15 (5) The number of customers charged late fees, penalties, reconnection fees, interest, and
16any other charge associated with late payment of a bill;
17 (6) The number of liens on real property placed, sold, or enforced due to nonpayment;
18 (7) The number of customers enrolled in deferred payment agreements at the end of each
19month, and the average length of the repayment term under those agreements;
20 (8) The number of customers that entered into, successfully completed, or defaulted from
21a deferred payment agreement;
22 (9) Customer assistance programs available to water consumers, including terms of
23eligibility, and available budget for each program;
24 (10) The number of customers receiving assistance under each customer assistance
25program at the end of each month, the total dollar amount of assistance provided, and the number
26of customers who were denied assistance; and
27 (11) The methods and contents of general communications by local utilities and public
28utilities to customers concerning their rights and available assistance programs if customers are
29unable to pay their bills in full. 3 of 3
30 (g) The executive office of energy and environmental affairs may adopt regulations
31necessary to implement this section.
32 (h) Annually, not later than March 15, the executive office of energy and environmental
33affairs shall report to the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint
34committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture data concerning the results of such
35equity audit reports.
36 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2026.